In the red country of the central Simpson Desert, four hours southeast of Alice Springs, Aboriginal Traditional Owners have set aside a new protected area larger than many countries: 47,311 square kilometres, roughly two-thirds the size of Tasmania [1].
The new Indigenous Protected Area, dedicated at the Uluperte homeland and managed by the Central Land Council, is a community-led decision by Traditional Owners to look after their own country, backed by A$1.3 million in federal funding for a coordinator and new ranger jobs [1]. There is no opponent in this story - only people choosing to protect the land they belong to [1].
The declaration also crossed a national line: with this area added, a full quarter of Australia's entire landmass is now under some conservation agreement, a step toward the country's goal of protecting thirty percent by 2030 [1]. The environment minister backed it as important for the region's threatened species [1].
